I took the regulator out of the passenger rear door yesterday, and it was pretty tweaked. I've seen pics of them bent, but this looks twisted.

So I spent about 2 hours trying to straighten it out, but I may have straightened it too much, or maybe not enough, I don't have a good one to go by. The window lift arm ( the thing with all the teeth on it ) moves freely, the motor slips right into two of the mounting posts, and halfway into the other and seats in all three when tightened.

I had to push the window lift arm in about an inch to bolt it to the rail on the bottom of the window. There wasn't a whole lot of stress involved, I didn't have to push it really hard to get the bolts in. It used to stick when it was raised and lowered, now it just goes really slow and the motor sounds loud compared to the others. I'll be just leaving it up till I pull it again, since I want to take the motor apart and clean and lube it.

I did notice that the mounts where it attaches to the door are not perpendicular to the regulator itself anymore, but I couldn't find a way to grip it in a vice to with the lift arm attached to it, does this come off? I tried to get it off, but it won't just pop off, and I didn't want to get to violent with it, the base being pot metal and all.



Anyone have pic's of a proper window regulator?




Also, is there supposed to be a gap in the rail on the bottom of the window? Am I missing something, partwise? There was quite a bit of rust crumbs in the bottom of the door, but aside from a bit of rust right in the bottom seam of the door, it's very clean in there. So unless whatever is missing rusted into crumbs and was sitting in the bottom of the door, I can't imagine where all that rust came from.

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I assume that is a before picture of your regulator. In order to get mine straight I had to remove the motor. That whole plate should be straight and the motor gear aligned perfectly with the swing gear. Unfortunately, no matter how good a job you do it wont stay that way. It twists from passengers holding their finger on the switch after the window is fully up. The regulator is too weak and the limit switch on the motor is set too high.

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1985 300 TD 448K
1984 300 TD 278K

1983 240D euro 240k
1994 f-250 idi turbo 330K
1986 f-350 IDI
1987 F-350 IDI

1985 JD 1050 4wd
1965 IH 3660

I am not seeing what vehicle you are working on. This is what I did on the rears of my W123.
Note that when it gets twisted and it is like that a long time it wears the gear teeth out of shape. Straightening it out won't fix the gear teeth.
In my Thread I replaced one with a new one but the price has shot up since then. I als0 reinforced the new one with a steel plate so it would not twist.

Don't know if there is aftermarket ones now or not. There is for the fronts.
Extreme Rear Window Regulator Repair,123

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I generally source an entire regulator with motor. They are side and door specific but regulators from any of the 81- the end of the 123 or 126body style will work. Check for bent arms or missing teeth that engage with the motor.

You want to clean and relube the tracks. Do this whenever they slow down even just a little.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

That was a nice write up!. Wish I'd have seen that before I started on mine!

I'm surprised the metal didn't crack when you clamped it. I think I will try taking that spring out and see if the motor doesn't strain as much. I'm also going to find some steel and make a plate to clamp them to for straightening. I was about two hours straightening that thing out and it's still not 100% flat.

I thought I had the model and year in my signature, but it's only in my personal info, and I never actually looked. I will try to rectify that.

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1982 300D 141K

Those are cast aluminum pieces. The use of a heat gun or oven will aid in re-forming the brackets.

A torch can be used but extreme care needs to used to ensure you heat the area evenly and minimally.

Take your time and only straighten the bracket a small amount at a go. Allow it to cool and re-position clamps as needed. I use a thick (3'8") flat plate as my jig/base and numerous washers to act as shims.

Attempting to "speed up" the process will result in stress cracks in the casting. You may not see them but they will be there.

You can harden the part after you shape it by heating in an oven at 160C (325F)for a minimum of four hours preferable eight hours or longer, allow to air cool, re-heat to 177C (350F) for a minimum of four hours or at least half the time you originally heated the piece.

I only do this for the windowless coupes as the regulators are as scarce as hens' teeth.

That rail is in bad shape. Your door weather stripping needs to replaced. Treat the rusted rail with rust dissolver and follow up with some rust preventative treatment (POR15 or its ilk).

You don't want to end up with this:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/attachments/diesel-discussion/157009d1587746242-window-regulator-blues-slide5.jpg

Window Regulator Blues

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“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

Mine actually seemed to be made of the stuff similar to what carburetors were made of in the old days. Not sure there is a lot of aluminum in them.

Also aluminum conducts heat so fast that it goes from solid to liquid so fast it is difficult to control it.

As an example those alumiloy repair sticks/rods have a lot of Zinc in them not aluminum. I have tried to use those on some stuff and when the base metal melts it flows away before a repair can be done.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Thanks for the advice! I appreciate the time you guys have taken to assist me here.

Please forgive my ignorance, but I only play a Mercedes mechanic on this forum. By weatherstripping, I assume you are talking about this part
here? --> https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/1267250365.htm?pn=126-725-03-65-MBZ&SVSVSI=3303&DID=2972


As far as that rail that runs across the bottom of the window, can I assume there should not be a gap along the middle? It seems to be attached at both ends, but for about 2/3 of the length of the window, there is a gap of about 1/8", and a rubber strip that is just kind of swinging in the breeze between the rail and the glass. Is there room/ should I maybe put a bead of , say, silicon caulk or something in the gap so the glass is adhered to the rail all the way across? I mean room at the top , I can't tell if when the window closes that gap is getting squeezed closed or not. After the rust is removed and the metal treated, of course.

And I guess I may as well replace the fuzzy rubber track the window rides in?
This stuff --> https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/UR1237250425.htm?pn=UR-123-725-04-25&bt=Y&fs=0&SVSVSI=3303

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1982 300D 141K

Those appear to be the bits you need.

For the track rail, use a urethane glass adhesive. Wear gloves as this is some extremely sticky stuff. A little goes a long way. The 3M 08693 is the best but a bit pricey. The 3M 08690 will probably work fine for your application since your track rail is still secured to the glass. It is cheaper but it is fast setting so you need to be ready and reasonably quick when using it. Masking the window glass makes for a much neater job.

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“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now